WVBBTS announces new coaching hires

WVBBTS, home of Waterville Valley Academy, is excited to announce the addition of three new coaching hires. Meaghan Costello, Justin Sperry, and Fred Turton will join the alpine coaching staff for the 2020-21 season.

Meghan Costello has been hired as the head women’s FIS coach. Costello comes to WVA after coaching in Europe for the last four years. Costello has been the head U16 coach with the Alpine Training Centre, a Scotland-based team, which placed five athletes onto the national teams of the UK and Scotland over the 2019-20 season. Costello’s experience includes running camps across Europe for all ATC programs, from FIS to U10s, including a summer base in Norway.

Originally from Bethel, Maine, she is an avid hiker, mountaineer, and traveler. She through-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2018 and had planned to spend the summer of 2020 through-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. Costello will complete her degree in Religious Studies and International Relations from the University of Aberdeen this year (remotely).

“Meghan has collected some amazing life experiences over her time abroad, and we anticipate that her diversity of experience both on and off snow makes her someone who will be profoundly impactful to the WVBBTS program,” says Tory Amorello, Executive Director and Head of School.

Costello will be supported by Andrew Gannon, having accepted the role of director of FIS programs. Gannon will also be the men’s FIS head coach.

Justin Sperry has been hired as the youth program director and also head U14 coach. Over the 2019-20 season, Waterville Valley Academy rolled out a Middle School program that is unique for being developmentally, socially, athletically, and academically appropriate for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade student-athletes.

“We’ve seen great momentum coming out of our middle school program after just one year,” says Amorello, “and we’re excited to build on the energy Jason Guilbert generated as the head coach in 2019-20. Gilly is moving up to become Head U16 coach, and in the future he and Justin will work closely to ensure a strong transition between middle school and high school.”

Justin is coming to WVBBTS after serving as the Head Coach at Colby-Sawyer College for the last two years, before which he held the head coaching role at Clarkson University. Justin is a New Hampshire native, having grown up racing for the Gunstock Ski Club before skiing for Colby College where he graduated with a degree in geology. Justin has served as the assistant director of the Stowe Summer Dryland Camp, where he has spent summers working with athletes from grade three through 10. Justin is eager to begin working with the WVA Middle School students, and in his role of Youth Program Director he will also lead the hiring and athletic programming of all WVBBTS’s Alpine Weekend Youth staff (U14 through Mitey Mites).

Lastly, Fred Turton will be returning to WVBBTS after working for several years as the Youth Education Coordinator for NHARA. Fred has accepted the position of seasonal full-time U14 coach. He is looking forward to working with Justin in coaching the WVA Middle School student-athletes and our weekend program U14s.

“Few people have the depth or quality of experience and knowledge that Fred has with youth ski racing,” continues Amorello, “and returning him to our program is going to be immediately impactful.”

“I could not be happier to have this extraordinary crop of coaches joining the team at WVA and WVBBTS,” Amorello concluded. “It has been an invigorating and energizing experience spending time getting to know Meghan, Justin, and reconnecting with Fred. Each of these coaches bring strength, experience, and diverse experiences to our program and I am looking forward to having their energy and leadership in our program.”

Founded in 1934, WVBBTS is committed to supporting the Motto of “Pioneering Snowsports and Cultivating Tomorrow’s Leaders.” Located in beautiful Waterville Valley New Hampshire, WVBBTS offers both a weekend program and full time competitive snowsports academy. WVBBTS is recognized for its excellence in training alpine, freeski, freestyle, and snowboard athletes. WVBBTS is a 501c3 non-profit organization. For more information on Waterville Valley Academy or WVBBTS, visit wvbbts.org.

Release courtesy of WVBBTS.